American Tunes | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 10, 2016 | |||
Recorded | May 20–21, 2013; October 1–3 & 5, 2015 | |||
Genre | Blues, R&B, jazz | |||
Length | 51:31 | |||
Label | Nonesuch Records | |||
Producer | Joe Henry | |||
Allen Toussaint chronology | ||||
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American Tunes is the final recording from New Orleans jazz and R&B pianist Allen Toussaint, released on Nonesuch Records on June 10, 2016. It was produced by Joe Henry and includes music from a 2013 solo session at the pianist's home studio in New Orleans and an October 2015 session featuring musicians Bill Frisell, Charles Lloyd, Greg Leisz, Jay Bellerose, and David Piltch, with special guest vocalist Rhiannon Giddens and pianist Van Dyke Parks, recorded in Los Angeles the month before Toussaint died. [1]
The album title is taken from the 1973 Paul Simon song "American Tune," which Toussaint performs on the album. Also included are songs written or recorded by Toussaint, Professor Longhair (Henry Roeland Byrd), Duke Ellington, Bill Evans, and Fats Waller. [1]
Allen Toussaint was due to play with Paul Simon in a New Orleans benefit concert to celebrate the 30th anniversary of New Orleans Artists Against Hunger and Homelessness, an organization Toussaint co-founded, on December 8, 2015; instead, Simon played the concert without Toussaint in tribute to the musician. [2] "Allen Toussaint brought New Orleans to the world," Simon has said, "and he left before he could bless us with the complete genius of his music." [3]
Henry Roeland "Roy" Byrd, better known as Professor Longhair or "Fess" for short, was an American singer and pianist who performed New Orleans blues. He was active in two distinct periods, first in the heyday of early rhythm and blues and later in the resurgence of interest in traditional jazz after the founding of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 1970. His piano style has been described as "instantly recognizable, combining rumba, mambo, and calypso".
William Richard Frisell is an American jazz guitarist. He first came to prominence at ECM Records in the 1980s, as both a session player and a leader. He went on to work in a variety of contexts, notably as a participant in the Downtown Scene in New York City, where he formed a long working relationship with composer and saxophonist John Zorn. He was also a longtime member of veteran drummer Paul Motian's groups from the early 1980s until Motian's death in 2011. Since the late 1990s, Frisell's output as a bandleader has also integrated prominent elements of folk, country, rock ‘n’ roll and Americana. He has six Grammy nominations and one win.
Allen Richard Toussaint was an American musician, songwriter, arranger, and record producer. He was an influential figure in New Orleans rhythm and blues from the 1950s to the end of the century, described as "one of popular music's great backroom figures." Many musicians recorded Toussaint's compositions. He was a producer for hundreds of recordings: the best known are "Right Place, Wrong Time", by longtime friend Dr. John, and "Lady Marmalade" by Labelle.
Joseph Lee Henry is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer. He has released 15 studio albums and produced multiple recordings for other artists, including three Grammy Award-winning albums.
Stephen Paul Motian was an American jazz drummer, percussionist, and composer. Motian played an important role in freeing jazz drummers from strict time-keeping duties.
"American Tune" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Paul Simon. It was the third single from his third studio album, There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973), released on Columbia Records. The song, a meditation on the American experience, is based on the melody of the hymn "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded" and bears a striking resemblance to JS Bach’s “Erkenne mich, mein Hüter“. The song reached number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Tipitina" is a song written and made famous by Professor Longhair. The song has been widely covered, and the Professor Longhair version was recorded in 1953 for Atlantic Records. "Tipitina" was first released in 1953. A previously unreleased alternate take was released on the album New Orleans Piano in 1972. Although the nature of his contributions are unknown, recording engineer Cosimo Matassa is listed as the song's co-writer along with Roy Byrd, Professor Longhair's legal name.
Recovery is the nineteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, released on August 19, 2008 on Yep Roc Records. The songs are "re-covers" from his first four albums: Loudon Wainwright III (1970), Album II (1971), Album III (1972) and Attempted Mustache (1973).
Blues Dream is the 13th album by Bill Frisell to be released on the Elektra Nonesuch label. It was released in 2001 and features performances by Frisell, steel guitarist Greg Leisz, trumpeter Ron Miles, alto saxophonist Billy Drewes, trombonist Curtis Fowlkes, bassist David Piltch and drummer Kenny Wollesen. The cover photograph was taken by George A. Tice in 1974 at Kresson Road, Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
Civilians is the eleventh studio album by Joe Henry, released on August 18, 2007. It was his first album of new material since his 2003 album Tiny Voices. Henry recorded the album at The Garfield House in South Pasadena, California between January 9–12 and February 22, 2007. The album also includes guest musicians Loudon Wainwright III, Bill Frisell, Greg Leisz, and Van Dyke Parks.
A Stranger Here is an album by American folk musician Ramblin' Jack Elliott, released in 2009. It reached number 5 on the Billboard Top Blues albums charts.
Dance Dates, California 1958 is the sixth volume of The Private Collection a series documenting recordings made by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington for his personal collection which was first publicly released on the LMR label in 1987 and later on the Saja label.
The Bright Mississippi is an album by the New Orleans Jazz and R&B pianist Allen Toussaint, released on Nonesuch Records in 2009. The album reached No. 8 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.
Rhiannon Giddens is an American musician known for her eclectic folk music. She is a founding member of the country, blues, and old-time music band the Carolina Chocolate Drops, where she was the lead singer, fiddle player, and banjo player.
"Viper's Drag" is a stride piano composition by the jazz pianist, composer, and arranger Thomas "Fats" Waller.
This is the discography for American R&B-jazz musician Allen Toussaint.
"Go to the Mardi Gras" or "Mardi Gras in New Orleans" is a New Orleans Mardi Gras-themed R&B song that was performed by Professor Longhair and recorded several times since 1949. He co-wrote the song with Theresa Terry. The song was covered by Fats Domino and released as a single in 1953. It is now considered an iconic festive song of the New Orleans Carnival season.
Dig In Deep is the seventeenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt. The album was released on February 26, 2016, by Redwing Records the first in 14 years to contain original music written by Bonnie. The album once again primarily features her longtime band composed of Ricky Fataar on drums, George Marinelli on guitars and James "Hutch" Hutchinson on bass with newer member Mike Finnigan on keyboards.
Jay Bellerose is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session and live performance work. He has contributed to the work of many well-known artists.
David Piltch is a Canadian bassist and session musician.